A classic Irish buttermilk soda bread enriched with mature cheddar cheese and served with a creamy sage butter for good measure.
Soda bread is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it takes St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon to remind us. Cheddar soda bread with fresh sage butter is triply wonderful, you need to make it!
I’ve always loved the simplicity of Irish soda bread—stir it together, pop it in the oven, and suddenly you have a warm, crusty loaf ready to tear into. This version leans into the cozy factor with sharp Irish cheddar baked right in, giving it a rich, savory bite that’s impossible to resist. It’s the kind of bread that doesn’t need fussing over—perfect alongside a bowl of soup, slathered with sage butter, or just torn off in chunks straight from the pan. 😊🍞🧀
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Irish cheddar soda bread ingredient notes
all purpose flour
- for the most authentic texture, go with all-purpose flour. Soda bread is a quick bread, not yeast-based, so it doesn’t need the extra gluten strength of bread flour. Using bread flour can make the bread chewier and drier, whereas all-purpose flour gives it a softer, more tender crumb.
- Irish brown soda bread is made with wholemeal (whole wheat) flour and you can use that in this recipe if you like.
salt
- without salt, soda bread can taste bland. It balances the tanginess from the buttermilk and brings out the natural wheat flavors.
baking soda
- without baking soda, soda bread would be dense and flat since it has no yeast to help it rise. It reacts with the acidity in buttermilk to create carbon dioxide gas which lifts the dough as it bakes.
- did you know baking soda needs to be replaced every 6 months to a year? I bet yours needs replacing!
butter
- butter is not traditional in Irish soda bread (it’s a “lean bread” made with just flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk—no butter, eggs, or sugar.) This was because Irish households historically relied on simple, affordable ingredients and butter was a premium ingredient.
- I include a bit of butter in the dough for a richer, softer texture.
shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- again not traditional but cheddar soda bread is a delicious modern variation. Use mature Irish cheddar for amazing flavor!
buttermilk
- thick and creamy buttermilk is a key ingredient! Buttermilk is acidic and reacts with the baking soda to lift the bread as it bakes. Regular milk will not work in this recipe.
- can you use a DIY buttermilk substitute? While DIY buttermilk can work in a pinch, using cultured buttermilk is much better for achieving the authentic texture, rise, and flavor that traditional soda bread is known for.
how to make sage butter
- salted butter
- fresh sage leaves
Take a softened stick of salted butter (if you’ve got Irish butter, all the better) and blend it together in a small food processor with a small handful of fresh sage leaves. Pulse, blend, scrape down, and blend some more until you’ve got a fragrant green speckled spread. Using a small processor works great because it extracts every ounce of flavor from the herbs and infuses it into the butter. Consider making a double batch and freezing half for later.
Can you do this by hand? Yes, use elbow grease and mince the sage very very finely before blending into the butter.
Top 10 tips for cheddar soda bread success
Making scone dough is quite easy and straightforward, if a bit messy.
- Make sure the dough is moist ~ a dry dough leads to dense, dry bread. Add more buttermilk if needed.
- Don’t over mix or knead your dough: work quickly once liquid is added because the chemical reaction starts immediately. Mix just until combined for a tender crumb. Expect it to look craggy and rough!
- Use fresh baking soda! It loses potency after 6 months to a year.
- Score a deep “X” on top ~ this helps the dense bread expand and bake evenly.*
- Use aged sharp cheddar for best flavor.
- Keep cheese cold & mix it into the dry ingredients first to prevent clumping.
- Make sure your oven is preheated and hot! This ensures a crisp crust and light interior.
- Make sure you bake your bread long enough to get the center done ~ the bread is dense and can be ‘doughy’ inside if not baked through.
- For a softer crust, wrap in a tea towel after baking to trap the steam.
- Plan to enjoy your cheddar soda bread the same day. If you’ve got leftovers, consider toasting.
*what’s the deal with the X on soda bread?
Scoring that big X on top of soda bread isn’t just for looks ~ it’s the secret to getting a beautifully baked loaf. It helps the dough expand evenly in the oven, so you don’t end up with a lumpy, cracked crust or a dense center. Without it, soda bread can bake up a little wild, and we want that craggy, rustic look ~ just without the chaos.
Of course, the Irish have their own take on it, saying the cross is there to let the fairies out ~ which, honestly, seems like reason enough to keep the tradition alive. Superstition or not, it’s a step you don’t want to skip!
the bottom line
Traditional soda bread is really a modern baker’s dream, and the perfect I want bread fast project. From measuring the flour to slicing the warm loaf, your homemade cheddar soda bread is ready in an hour!
Cheddar soda bread is absolutely wonderful ~ I loved it, my taste testers loved it, and I consider it my favorite soda bread so far. The secret’s in the cheese, it enriches it and gives so much extra flavor. It actually keeps the bread moister longer, so we enjoyed it just as much the next day (unheard of for soda bread!)
how we’re using Irish Cheddar Soda Bread
as part of a St Patrick’s Day Meal
- Dublin Coddle ~ a quick cooking Irish stew!
- Instant Pot Irish Stew
- Homemade Corned Beef
- Traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup
- Authentic Irish Colcannon Recipe (Mashed Potatoes with Kale)
as a side for soups
- Corn and Cheddar Cheese Chowder
- Smoked Salmon Chowder
- Parsnip Soup with Garlic and Blue Cheese
- Split Pea Soup with Ham
- Mushroom and Brie Soup
as a simple snack-able toastie
- Top a thick slice with more cheddar (+ a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce!) and broil until golden and bubbly.
Irish Cheddar Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp coarse salt*
- 2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese , use a mature Irish cheddar for fabulous flavor.
- 1 1/2 cups cold cultured buttermilk, shaken
sage butter (optional)
- 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- fresh sage leaves, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Cut in the cold cubes of butter with a pastry cutter or with your hands, until the mixture resembles coarse sand and there are no more large clumps of butter. Note: you can do this by pulsing in a food processor if you like but transfer to a bowl for the next steps.
- Add the cheddar cheese and toss to combine.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and add the buttermilk. Starting from the outside of the bowl stir the flour into the center, until everything is moistened. If your dough is dry, drizzle in more buttermilk. If it is too wet, add a bit more flour. You want a rough dough that comes together in a craggy lump, not too wet, but without lots of dry flour either.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and bring together with your hands. Pat into a flattened round, about 2 inches thick. Note: the less you work the bread the better.
- Transfer to your lined baking sheet. Slice a deep "X" into the top of the dough.** I slice almost completely down to the pan.
- Bake in your preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.***
- Let your bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before enjoying.
to make sage butter (optional)
- In a small food processor (or in a bowl with wooden spoon) process together the softened butter with the chopped sage leaves. Start with about 6 leaves and add more to your taste. I like to process long eough for the butter to take on a pale green color ~ it will have small specks of sage. This ensures that the flavor has been fully extracted from the herbs. Serve the butter right away or chill until needed. Use within a week.
Notes
- First check gently press on the top of the loaf. If it’s wobbly or looks very wet in the cracks, it needs more oven time.
- Once you’ve jumped that hurdle, do the thump test: a completely baked soda bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- For a foolproof method, use a thermometer: the center should reach 200 ~ 205°F
- Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Soda bread finishes setting as it cools.
My family was concerned because they thought soda bread was dry and tasteless. Boy were they wrong. The bread was moist tasty and just delicious. Even on day two, toasted it with just as good. I will definitely add this recipe to my collection.
Yes! This was our experience exactly. My husband still can’t stop talking about it, lol.